diff --git a/gtk/gtkwidget.c b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
index ffd6b99bbd..2ec9c04fc0 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkwidget.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
@@ -7309,6 +7309,9 @@ _gtk_widget_run_controllers (GtkWidget           *widget,
     {
       GList *next = l->next;
 
+      if (!WIDGET_REALIZED_FOR_EVENT (widget, event))
+        break;
+
       data = l->data;
 
       if (data->controller == NULL)